


I Did Not See That Coming

by skittenninja



Series: Whumptober 2020 [17]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Assassination Plot(s), Blackmail, Death Threats, Gen, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), POV Merlin (Merlin), Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27114217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skittenninja/pseuds/skittenninja
Summary: Whumptober 2020 Day 17: As per usual, another visiting guest of Camelot has some less than good intentions. Unusually, this guest has caught on to a certain secret of Merlin's.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949905
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	I Did Not See That Coming

There were three words Merlin dreaded confronting more than anything, and unfortunately, the time had come to hear them yet again from an enemy’s mouth.

It was sad, really. He hadn’t suspected their visiting guests of having any nefarious intent, despite being on high alert considering how often such a situation occurred. A full week had passed without any of the nobles so much as lifting a finger to harm Arthur, or anyone else for that matter, and so when the time for the banquet came, Merlin finally allowed himself to relax.

This turned out to be a mistake.

It all started when Lady Heloise motioned for Merlin from across the room. She hadn’t spoken a word to him during her entire stay, as other servants had been attending to her needs, and so Merlin initially assumed she was looking at someone behind him. When he turned, however, no one was there.

From across the room, Merlin watched Heloise excuse herself, the mask of a polite smile on her face the whole time. As she started walking away from the table, she met Merlin’s eyes again, then subtly motioned with her head towards the door.

For whatever reason, she wanted to speak to him.

Confusion and unease brewing in his mind, Merlin quickly cast his gaze over to Arthur, but the king was occupied in a boisterous conversation with two other noblemen. Surely, he wouldn’t miss Merlin if he was only gone for a minute or two.

Without a word to anyone, Merlin followed in Heloise’s footsteps and exited the banquet, just catching sight of the noblewoman’s extravagant yellow dress as she rounded the corner.

Quickly, but not too quickly, Merlin picked up his pace in order to not completely lose sight of where she was going. It didn’t take him long to realize that she was heading back towards her chambers where she’d been staying during her time as a guest. This only added to the worry that wormed its way through Merlin’s thoughts as he wondered, incredulously, what a noblewoman he did not know would want with a random servant, and why she would want to meet so privately.

He heard the heavy wooden door quietly, or as quietly as such a door could, click shut, and Merlin stood in front of it only a couple of seconds later. He hesitated, hand poised above the only barrier between him and whatever Heloise wanted, ready to knock but feeling nervous to do so.

Merlin brough his knuckles to the wood before he could think too long about it, the sound echoing down the empty hall. There was no sound from inside her chambers, and all that Merlin could hear was the distant laughter of the banquet, calling out to him from not too far away.

“My lady?” He called with trepidation, the formality sounding odd considering the colloquial way he often spoke to Arthur.

Again, there was nothing.

With a sigh, Merlin started walking back down the hall again, half-convinced he’d imagined the whole thing.

Then, as if alerted by his footsteps, Merlin heard an urgent “come in” from inside Heloise’s chambers.

He froze mid-step, wondering if he’d misheard. A turn of his head told Merlin the door was still closed, but that the mysterious invitation still hung in the air.

Putting aside his nerves and general mistrust of the situation, Merlin headed back towards the door and opened it this time.

Only to find no one inside.

Confused, Merlin scanned the room, searching for any sign of the Lady Heloise but finding none in his line of sight. The bed was still made, chairs pushed in, table untouched, the fresh flowers that had been delivered to all their guests still sitting on top of it.

Merlin shut the door behind him and took a few cautious steps forward, thinking maybe Heloise was just hidden around some corner or blocked by a piece of furniture. There was absolutely no way she could have left the room otherwise, and Merlin never saw her come out into the hall.

“Lady Heloise?” He dared to call out.

Only to be greeted with a knife hurtling towards his face.

Merlin had very, very little time to react, the weapon slicing away the precious few seconds he had to make a decision as it cut through the air. Instinctively, and as he always did in life-threatening situations, Merlin called upon his magic to stop the blade in its path. It remained suspended just an inch away from his face, gleaming in the candlelight, and on its shiny surface he caught the reflection of movement from the other side of the room.

“Very impressive,” a voice called, tone sincere but smug at the same time.

The knife clattered to the floor as Merlin stumbled backwards in surprise, fear creeping through his bones as he realized that he’d just been caught using magic. Worst of all, he’d been caught using magic by a noblewoman, who would surely have him arrested any moment now.

Knowing there was no other way to explain what he’d just done, Merlin tried to meet Heloise’s eyes. Her stare made him feel tiny even though he was considerably taller than her, since everything from her posture to her reserved expression made it clear that she was fully aware of the power she held in this situation.

“I knew there was something about you, Merlin,” she said, casually strolling over and picking the knife up from the floor. She twirled it in her hand as she stared at him with amusement, like this was all a game.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Merlin replied, hoping his voice wouldn’t reveal how terrified he was.

“No ordinary person can stop a weapon without ever touching it,” Heloise mused, looking down at the weapon and then back up at Merlin.

She smirked.

“And no ordinary person could _wield_ a weapon in the same manner, either, because _you have magic_.”

Merlin tried to swallow the cold dread that was settling inside him, already understanding where this was headed. If Heloise wanted him dead for his magic, he would already be in a cell.

Which meant she wanted something from him.

“What are you waiting for?” He asked, trying to play dumb. “You could have just gotten the whole thing over with already. I’m sure the guards could have me in the dungeon in the blink of an eye.”

“I think you know why I won’t do that,” Heloise said. “You’re far more useful to me alive.”

Merlin clenched his jaw, preparing himself for the demands that would surely follow.

“You want my help with something, is that it? I won’t do it.”

“Come on, now,” Heloise said with faux hurt, punctuating the words with a laugh. “You haven’t even heard what I want yet.”

“I don’t need to,” Merlin spat. “Believe it or not, you’re not the first person to come here looking to kill the king.”

“And I have no qualms with that because I will certainly be the last.”

Heloise held out the knife, expecting Merlin to take it. It wasn’t the blade she was asking him to use, as the weapon she desired was something he already possessed, but it was a symbol of her request.

“Unless, of course, you would like for everyone to find out about the sorcerer that’s been hiding in their court? I’ve seen how close you and Arthur are, anyone can, but are you willing to bet your life on that? Especially when I can find a replacement for your role once you’ve been disposed of?”

Heloise waited for his answer, smug smile never leaving her face. She knew exactly how this conversation would end, and woefully, Merlin did too.

He grabbed the hilt of the blade.


End file.
